Data storage device 28174 223477930 2008-07-04T06:48:59Z 81.30.185.173 {{FixHTML|beg}} [[Image:PersonalStorageDevices.agr.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Many different consumer electronic devices can store data.]] [[Image:EdisonPhonograph.jpg|200px|thumb|right|'''Edison cylinder phonograph''' ca. 1899. The Phonograph cylinder is a storage medium. The phonograph may or may not be considered a storage device.]] {{FixHTML|mid}} [[image:Reel-to-reel recorder tc-630.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A '''reel-to-reel tape recorder (Sony TC-630)'''. The magnetic tape is a data storage medium. The recorder is data storage equipment using a portable medium (tape reel) to store the data.]] {{FixHTML|mid}} [[Image:Painting Thangka Lhasa Tibet Luca Galuzzi 2006.jpg|200px|thumb|Crafting tools such as paint brushes can be used as data storage equipment. The paint and canvas can be used as data storage media.]] {{FixHTML|mid}} [[Image:NA-comparedto-DNA thymineAndUracilCorrected.png|thumb|200px|[[RNA]] might be the oldest data storage medium <ref>{{cite journal|title=The RNA World|journal=[[Nature (Journal)|Nature]]|first=Walter|last=Gilbert|authorlink=Walter Gilbert|month=Feb|year=1986|pages=618|volume=319|doi=10.1038/319618a0}}</ref>, now replaced by [[DNA]] in most organisms.]] {{FixHTML|end}} A '''data storage device''' is a device for recording (storing) information (data). [[Recording]] can be done using virtually any form of [[energy]], spanning from manual muscle power in handwriting, to acoustic vibrations in phonographic recording, to electromagnetic energy modulating magnetic tape and optical discs. A storage device may hold information, process information, or both. A device that only holds information is a recording [[medium (communication)|medium]]. Devices that process information (data storage equipment) may either access a separate portable (removable) recording medium or a permanent component to store and retrieve information. ''Electronic data storage'' is storage which requires electrical power to store and retrieve that data. Most storage devices that do not require [[Visual perception|vision]] and a brain to read data fall into this category. Electromagnetic data may be stored in either an [[Analog signal|analog]] or [[digital]] format on a variety of media. This type of data is considered to be [[Machine-readable|electronically encoded]] data, whether or not it is electronically stored in a [[semiconductor]] [[computer data storage|device]], for it is certain that a semiconductor device was used to record it on its medium. Most electronically processed data storage media (including some forms of [[computer data storage]]) are considered permanent (non-volatile) storage, that is, the data will remain stored when power is removed from the device. In contrast, most ''electronically stored'' information within most types of semiconductor (computer chips) [[microcircuit]]s are [[volatile memory]], for it vanishes if power is removed. With the exception of [[barcode]]s and [[optical character recognition|OCR]] data, electronic data storage is easier to revise and may be more cost effective than alternative methods due to smaller physical space requirements and the ease of replacing (rewriting) data on the same medium. However, the durability of methods such as printed data is still superior to that of most electronic storage media. The durability limitations may be overcome with the ease of duplicating ([[backup|backing-up]]) electronic data. ==Terminology== Devices that are not used exclusively for recording (e.g. [[hand]]s, [[mouth]]s, [[musical instrument]]s) and devices that are intermediate in the storing/retrieving process (e.g. [[eyes]], [[ears]], [[camera]]s, [[Image scanner|scanner]]s, [[microphone]]s, [[Loudspeaker|speaker]]s, [[Display device|monitor]]s, [[projector]]s) are not usually considered storage devices. Devices that are exclusively for recording (e.g. [[Computer printer|printer]]s), exclusively for reading (e.g. [[barcode reader]]s), or devices that process only one form of information (e.g. [[phonograph]]s) may or may not be considered storage devices. In [[computing]] these are known as [[input device|input]]/[[output device|output]] devices. An organic '''[[brain]]''' may or may not be considered a data storage device. <ref>Ray Bradbury, ''Fahrenheit 451'', 1950, 1953 pp:150-152, ISBN 0345342968</ref> All information is [[data]]. However, not all data is [[information]]. Many data storage devices are also media players. Any device that can store and playback [[multimedia]] may also be considered a media player such as in the case with the [[HDD media player]]. Designated hard drives are used to play saved or [[streaming media]] on [[home entertainment system]]s. ==Trends== [[International Data Corporation]] estimated that the total amount of digital data was 281 billion [[gigabyte]]s in 2007, and had for the first time exceeded the amount of storage.<ref>{{cite web|author=Gantz, John F. et al.|title=The Diverse and Exploding Digital Universe|url=http://www.emc.com/leadership/digital-universe/expanding-digital-universe.htm|publisher=International Data Corporation via EMC|date=2008|accessdate=2008-03-12}}</ref> ==Data storage equipment== Any [[input/output]] equipment may be considered data storage equipment if it writes to and reads from a data storage medium. Data storage equipment uses either: * '''portable methods''' (easily replaced), * '''semi-portable''' methods requiring mechanical disassembly tools and/or opening a [[chassis]], or * '''inseparable methods''' meaning loss of memory if disconnected from the unit. The following are examples of those methods: ===Portable methods=== *[[arts and crafts|Hand crafting]] *Flat surface **[[Printmaking]] **[[Photographic]] *[[Fabrication]] **[[Automated]] [[Manufacturing|assembly]] **[[Textile]] **[[Molding (process)|Molding]] **[[Solid freeform fabrication]] *[[Cylinder (geometry)|Cylindrical]] accessing *[[Card]] reader/drive *[[Tape drive]] **Mono [[reel]] or [[reel-to-reel]] **[[Compact Cassette]] player/recorder *[[Disk storage|Disk]] accessing **[[Disk drive]] **[[Disk enclosure]] *[[Cartridge (electronics)|Cartridge]] accessing/connecting (tape/disk/[[circuitry]]) *[[Peripheral]] [[Networking hardware|networking]] *[[USB flash drive|Flash memory devices]] ===Semi-portable methods=== *[[Hard disk drive]] *[[Circuitry]] with [[NVRAM|non-volatile RAM]] ===Inseparable methods=== *[[Circuitry]] with [[volatile memory|volatile]] [[Random access memory|RAM]] *[[Neuron]]s<ref> Aaron P. Nelson and Susan Gilbert, ''Harvard Medical School Guide to Achieving Optimal Memory'', Mar 2005, page 66</ref> ==Recording medium== A recording medium is a physical material that holds data expressed in any of the existing [[recording formats]]. With [[electronic media]], the data and the recording medium is sometimes referred to as "software" despite the more common use of the word to describe [[computer software]]. With ([[Media (arts)|traditional art]]) static media, [[art materials]] such as [[crayons]] may be considered both equipment and medium as the wax, charcoal or chalk material from the equipment becomes part of the surface of the medium. Some recording media may be temporary either by design or by nature. [[Volatile organic compound]]s may be used to [[Sustainable design|preserve the environment]] or to purposely make data expire over time. Data such as [[smoke signal]]s or [[skywriting]] are temporary by nature. Depending on the volatility, a [[gas]] (e.g. [[atmosphere]], [[smoke]]) or a liquid surface such as a [[lake]] would be considered a temporary recording medium if at all. ===Ancient and timeless examples=== [[Image:Gutenberg Bible.jpg|260px|thumb|right|'''The [[Johannes Gutenberg|Gutenberg]] Bible displayed by the United States [[Library of Congress]]''', demonstrating printed pages as a storage medium.]] * Optical ** Any [[Physical body|object]] visible to the eye, used to mark a location such as a, [[Rock (geology)|stone]], [[flag]] or [[skull]]. ** Any [[arts and crafts|crafting]] material used to form shapes such as [[clay]], [[wood]], [[metal]], [[glass]], [[wax]] or [[quipu]]. ** Any branding surface that would scar under intense heat (chiefly for [[livestock branding|livestock]] or [[human branding|humans]]). ** Any marking substance such as [[paint]], [[ink]] or [[chalk]]. ** Any surface that would hold a marking substance such as, [[papyrus]], [[paper]], [[skin]]. * Chemical ** [[RNA]] ** [[DNA]] ** [[Pheromone]] ===Modern examples by energy used=== [[Image:Graffiti Panorama rome.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Graffiti on a public wall. Public surfaces are being used as unconventional data storage media, often without permission.]] [[Image:undeveloped film.png|thumb|300px|right|Photographic film is a photochemical data storage medium]] [[Image:Flippy floppy.jpg|thumb|250px|right|A floppy disk is a magnetic data storage medium]] [[Image:Hitachinotebookhd.jpg|thumb|right|250px|'''Hitachi 2.5 inch laptop hard drive'''. A hard drive is both storage equipment and a storage medium]] [[Image:Flash-Media-Cards.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Four major types of memory cards (from left to right: CompactFlash, MemoryStick, Secure Digital, and xD.]] *[[Chemical]] **[[Dipstick]] *[[Thermodynamic]] **[[Thermometer]] *[[Photochemical]] **[[Photographic film]] *[[Classical mechanics|Mechanical]] **Pins and holes *** [[Punch card]] *** [[Paper tape]] ****[[Music roll]] *** [[Music box]] cylinder or disk **Grooves ''(See also [[Audio storage|Audio Data]])'' *** [[Phonograph cylinder]] *** [[Gramophone record]] *** [[DictaBelt]] (groove on plastic belt) *** [[Capacitance Electronic Disc]] *[[Magnetic storage]] **[[Wire recording]] (stainless steel wire) **[[Magnetic tape]] **[[Drum memory]] (magnetic drum) **[[Floppy disk]] *[[Optical storage]] ** [[Photo paper]] ** [[X-ray]] ** [[Hologram]] ** [[Projector|Projected]] [[Transparency (projection)|transparency]] ** [[Optical disc]] ** [[Magneto-optical disc]] ** [[Holographic versatile disc]] ** [[3D optical data storage]] *Electrical **[[Semiconductor]] used in [[volatile memory|volatile]] [[Random access memory|RAM microchips]] **[[Floating-gate transistor]] used in [[NVRAM|non-volatile]] [[memory card]]s ===Modern examples by shape=== A typical way to classify data storage media is to consider its shape and type of movement (or non-movement) relative to the read/write device(s) of the storage apparatus as listed: * Paper card storage ** [[Punched card]] (mechanical) * Tape storage (long, thin, flexible, linearly moving bands) ** [[Punched tape|Paper tape]] (mechanical) ** [[Magnetic tape]] (a tape passing one or more ''read/write/erase heads'') * [[Disk storage]] (flat, round, rotating object) ** [[Gramophone record]] (used for distributing some 1980s home computer programs) (mechanical) ** [[Floppy disk]], [[Zip drive|ZIP disk]] (removable) (magnetic) ** [[HDSS|Holographic]] ** [[Optical disc]] such as [[CD]], [[DVD]], [[Blu-ray Disc]] ** [[Minidisc]] ** [[Hard disk drive]] (magnetic) * [[Magnetic bubble memory]] * [[Flash memory]]/[[memory card]] (solid state [[semiconductor memory]]) ** [[xD-Picture Card]] ** [[MultiMediaCard]] ** [[Universal Serial Bus|USB]] [[USB flash drive|flash drive]] (also known as a "thumb drive" or "[[keydrive]]") ** [[SmartMedia]] ** [[CompactFlash]] I and II ** [[Secure Digital Card|Secure Digital]] ** [[Memory Stick|Sony Memory Stick]] (Std/Duo/PRO/MagicGate versions) ** [[Solid-state drive]] Bekenstein (2003) foresees that miniaturization might lead to the invention of devices that store [[bit]]s on a single [[atom]]. ==See also== <div style="-moz-column-count:3; column-count:3;"> * [[Archival science]] * [[Blank media tax]] * [[Computer data storage]] * [[Content format]] * [[Data transmission]] * [[Digital Preservation]] * [[Format war]] * [[Flip-flop (electronics)]] * [[Library]] * [[Medium format (film)]] * [[Memristor]] * [[Nonlinear medium]] ([[random access]]) * [[Recording formats]] </div> ==References== *Bekenstein, Jacob D. (2003, August). ''Information in the holographic universe''. Scientific American. <div class="references-small"> <references/> </div> == Bibliography == <ref>{{cite journal|title=The RNA World|journal=[[Nature (Journal)|Nature]]|first=Walter|last=Gilbert|authorlink=Walter Gilbert|month=Feb|year=1986|pages=618|volume=319|doi=10.1038/319618a0}}</ref> *{{cite paper | author = Bennett, John C. | title = '''JISC/NPO Studies on the Preservation of Electronic Materials: A Framework of Data Types and Formats, and Issues Affecting the Long Term Preservation of Digital Material'' | publisher = British Library Research and Innovation Report 50 | date = 1997 | url = http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/services/papers/bl/jisc-npo50/bennet.html }} ==External links== *[http://www.alts.net/ns1625/winchest.html Historical Notes about the Cost of Hard Drive Storage Space] {{Audio format}}{{Homevid}} [[Category:Communication]] [[Category:Data management]] [[Category:Film and video technology]] [[Category:Sound production technology]] [[Category:Computer storage]] [[Category:Media technology]] [[Category:Storage media]] [[Category:Art materials]] [[Category:Recording]] [[Category:Library and information science]] [[bs:Uređaji za pohranjivanje podataka]] [[cs:Datové médium]] [[da:Lagringsmedie]] [[de:Datenspeicher]] [[et:Andmekandja]] [[it:Supporto di memorizzazione]] [[he:אמצעי לאחסון מידע]] [[nl:Digitale opslagmedia]] [[pl:Nośnik danych]] [[pt:Dispositivo de armazenamento]] [[ru:Запоминающие устройства]] [[simple:Data storage device]] [[sk:Záznamové médium]]